College Football Power Rankings: Top 25 Running Backs Heading Into Week 2
This college football season we'll be doing weekly power rankings of the top skill-position players in the game.
Week one action is in the books, closing out with a bang in a great matchup between Boise State and Virginia Tech.
There were some outstanding performances, like Kenjon Barner's five touchdown effort, or Daniel Thomas and DeMarco Murray each rushing for over 200 yards.
There were also some disappointments, like Ryan Williams and Dion Lewis putting up stinkers in their opening matchups.
Here's the first instalment of the power rankings for the top 25 college football running backs.
25. Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 54 / ATT: 14 / AVG: 3.9 / TD: 2 / Receiving Yards: 21 / AVG: 10.5 / TD: 0
Its true that a freshman needs to prove themselves before we give them any sort of anointment, but based on the incoming expectations and production in week one, we feel it's safe to to give Marcus Lattimore and Michael Dyer the benefit of the doubt.
They rank in at No. 25 and No. 24 to begin the year and both have played well enough to deserve consideration. After all, either one of them could be the next Ryan Williams or Dion Lewis.
Lattimore 54 yards on 14 carries with a couple of scores and added two catches for 21 yards against Southern Miss.
24. Michael Dyer, Auburn
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: / ATT: / AVG: / TD: / Receiving Yards: / AVG: / TD:
Unlike Lattimore at South Carolina, Dyer was expected to be at the backend of the running back rotation at Auburn. That might not be the case any more if week one is any indicator of what's to come.
Dyer might have played second fiddle to quarterback Cam Newton against Arkansas State, but he led all of the Tigers running backs in carries and yards, with 14 attempts for 95 yards and a score on the day.
Mississippi State, Clemson, and South Carolina are the next three opponents on the schedule and by the end of that stretch we'll all have a much better idea of how this situation is going to play out.
23. Bobby Rainey, Western Kentucky
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 155 / ATT: 30 / AVG: 5.2 / TD: 1 / Receiving Yards: 36 / AVG: 12.0 / TD: 0
Here's one for the little guys. Western Kentucky junior running back Bobby Rainey might play for the small school and get relatively no recognition nationally, but he deserves to be on the list, at least just for this week.
The Hilltoppers might have gotten blown out 49-10 by Nebraska in week one, but if there was any bright spot in that matchup for Western Kentucky it was Rainey.
Blowout or not, it's no easy task rushing for 155 yards and a score, with another 36 yards receiving against one of the best defenses in the Big 12.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
22. Ronnie Wingo, Arkansas
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 47 / ATT: 5 / AVG: 9.4 / TD: 1 / Receiving Yards: -4 / AVG: -4.0 / TD: 0
Bobby Petrino made a clear effort before the season started to say that Ronnie Wingo would receive the majority of the carries out of the backfield.
He only got five carries in week one, but it was in a 44-3 blowout against Tennessee Tech and there really wasn't much point in him racking up the touches in a game like that.
Ringo turned those carries into 47 yards and a touchdown. He might be a relative unknown, but there's a lot of faith in him being a star sooner rather than later.
21. Washaun Ealey, Georgia
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2010 Stats: NA
Washburn Ealey's 717 yards last season were enough to make him the second-leading returning SEC rusher in 2010, but we'll have to wait before he gets on the field to prove his worth this season.
Ealey was suspended for at least game one after an arrest and it's possible he could be facing a longer time out depending on how coach Mark Richt feels about it come game time.
Caleb King and Carlton Thomas got the carries against Louisiana-Lafayette and neither were very impressive. Until Easley takes control of the backfield again, he'll remain on the edge of the top 25.
20. Ed Wesley, TCU
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: / ATT: / AVG: / TD: / Receiving Yards: / AVG: / TD:
Wesley shares backfield duties with Matthew Tucker and while it was Tucker who was the slightly better of the two last year, the early signs point to there being a reversal of roles in 2010.
Wesley was by far the better of the two against Oregon State in TCU's 30-21 victory in week one and that should secure him more carries going forward.
With a 134 yards with a touchdown on 17 carries, Wesley doubled the effort of Tucker and proved he should get first crack at the reps in week two.
19. Vai Taua, Nevada
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 52 / ATT: 11 / AVG: 4.3 / TD: 2 / Receiving Yards: 36 / AVG: 12 / TD: 0
Nevada's Vai Taua was the 19th most productive rusher in the country last season, averaging a whopping 7.8 yards per carry with over 1,300 yards on the ground.
He didn't have an eye-popping game against Eastern Michigan in the season opener, rushing for 52 yards on 12 carries with two touchdowns and adding another 36 yards receiving.
The real tests come in a couple weeks, when Nevada will be playing Cal and then BYU.
18. Marc Tyler, USC
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 154 / ATT: 17 / AVG: 9.1 / TD: 1 / Receiving Yards: 0 / AVG: 0 / TD: 0
After receiving just five carries in 2009, it looks like Marc Tyler might finally be ready to realize his outstanding potential coming out of high school back in 2007.
He had 17 carries against Hawaii, more than double what Allen Bradford had, and made the most of them to solidify himself as the top back on the roster.
154 yards against a defense like Hawaii's is one thing, but the going will be a little tougher against Virginia. Tyler could be one of the surprise backs of the season if he keeps it up.
17. Bernard Pierce, Temple
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 75 / ATT: 20 / AVG: 3.8 / TD: 0 / Receiving Yards: 0 / AVG: 0 / TD: 0
Temple's rushing game was a huge part of the team's success in 2009 and it doesn't expect to be much different in 2010 with Bernard Pierce returning for his sophomore year.
He got off to a bit of a slow start, but based on his freshman season, you have to expect big things for him this year.
Against Villanova he managed 75 yards on 20 carries with no catches and no scores, but at least the Owls won.
16. Mikel Leshoure, Illinois
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: / ATT: / AVG: / TD: / Receiving Yards: / AVG: / TD:
Leshoure is an underrated talent that tends to get overlooked for a couple of reasons. Number one, he plays for Illinois and number two, he only got 108 carries last season.
He averaged 6.8 yards per carry in 2009 and is off to a great start in 2010 though. He rushed for a 112 yards on 20 carries in Illinois 23-13 loss to Missouri with relatively no support from the passing game.
Expect him to put up some gaudy numbers against Southern Illinois and Northern Illinois in the next couple weeks.
15. Evan Royster, Penn State
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 40 / ATT: 11 / AVG: 3.6 / TD: 0 / Receiving Yards: 18 / AVG: 6.0 / TD: 0
Royster was one of the most productive backs in the country in 2008, but his production dipped off slightly last season. There's still a belief he'll get back on track in 2010, but it hasn't happened yet.
He didn't look too good against Youngstown State, but it's hard to judge someone by just 11 carries. Still, you'd expect one of the best backs in the country to do more with 11 carries against a team like Youngstown State.
Royster gets the pass for week one, but if he can't do better than 40 yards when the Nittany Lions play Alabama in week two, he might find himself near the bottom of the list, if not off it completely.
14. Andre Ellington, Clemson
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 122 / ATT: 12 / AVG: 10.2 / TD: 2 / Receiving Yards: 4 / AVG: 4.0 / TD: 0
Ellington replaces C.J. Spiller at Clemson and has some huge shoes to fill. It's going to be difficult for this team to match their success from a year ago, but if they do it'll have a lot to do with Ellington's rushing skills.
He was great in limited minutes last season, but assumes the featured back role in 2010. So far so good, with 122 yards on 12 carries with two touchdowns against North Texas.
Lets see him put up some good numbers against Auburn in a couple weeks and then we'll consider Ellington the real deal.
13. Kenjon Barner, Oregon
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 147 / ATT: 17 / AVG: 8.6 / TD: 4 / Receiving Yards: 60 / AVG: 60 / TD: 1
Lets not go as far as to say we have a running back controversy on our hands, but Oregon definitely will have to consider sharing the load moving forward. LeMichael James is still the starter, but Kenjon Barner will be seeing a lot more touches now.
With James out serving a suspension, Barner got the start and really impressed. He rushed for 147 yards on 17 carries with a whopping four touchdowns.
Add in a 60 yard catch for another score and Barner had one of the best games in school history.
12. Montel Harris, Boston College
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 115 / ATT: 19 / AVG: 6.1 / TD: 1 / Receiving Yards: 31 / AVG: 10.3 / TD: 0
Montel Harris is one of the top running backs in the nation and after being a top 10 rusher a year ago, should be in line for similar success in 2010.
He looked sharp against Weber State, with nearly 150 total yards on offense and a touchdown in Boston College's 38-20 victory.
The real action begins in a couple weeks, when the Eagles play Virginia Tech. That will be Harris' first true test of the season.
11. Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: / ATT: / AVG: / TD: / Receiving Yards: / AVG: / TD:
After an injury plagued season in 2009, Kendal Hunter was said to be looking very, very good throughout the summer. He didn't disappoint at all in week one.
Hunter had a Huge game with a capital H against Washington State. We might be getting ahead of ourselves putting him this high, but based on that game he looks fully back to his 2008 form in which he rushed for over 1,500 yards.
Hunter had 257 yards and four touchdowns on just 21 carries against the Cougars. He likely won't have another game like that, but he still looks poised to compete for the Big 12 rushing title.
10. DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 2-08 / ATT: 35 / AVG: 5.9 / TD: 2 / Receiving Yards: 0 / AVG: 0 / TD: 0
Murray is one of the best dual-threat running backs in the country and has a great combination of size and speed. Last season wasn't very good for him, but things look to be different this time around.
He put up a very impressive performance against Utah State in week one, rushing for over 200 yards with a couple touchdowns.
Murray was the workhorse back in this one, taking the ball 35 times and plowing into the defense all game long. Let's see how he does against FSU before getting too excited though.
9. LaMichael James, Oregon
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2010 Stats: NA
Sophomore running back LaMichael James is one of the most anticipated players for the 2010 season. He was the seventh most productive back in the country as a true freshman last season, but might see a dip this year.
While sitting out with a suspension in week one, James watched as teammate Kenjon Barner exploded for one of the most impressive games in Ducks history.
They're going to be sharing the carries from here on out. The pair are basically a poor man's Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson.
8. Daniel Thomas, Kansas State
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 234 / ATT: 28 / AVG: 8.4 / TD: 2 / Receiving Yards: 15 / AVG: 7.5 / TD: 0
In 2009 Thomas led the Big 12 in rushing with 1,265 yards and 11 touchdowns while also adding another 257 yards receiving.
In week one, he looked like someone capable of leading the entire country in rushing. In Kansas State's unexpected win over UCLA, Thomas exploded for 234 yards and two touchdowns.
He should put up more impressive totals in the next three weeks, but when Nebraska comes to town that will be his chance to prove he definitely belongs among the elite backs.
7. John Clay, Wisconsin
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: / ATT: / AVG: / TD: / Receiving Yards: / AVG: / TD:
Clay was voted Big Ten Player of the Year in 2009 to highlight a very successful season in which he rushed for the eighth most yards in the country.
He picked up where he left off last season in week one, with 123 yards and a couple of scores against UNLV in Wisconsin's 41-21 victory.
San Jose State shouldn't poise much of a problem either and its awhile before Clay will really be tested by an elite defense.
6. Trent Richardson, Alabama
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 66 / ATT: 10 / AVG: 6.6 / TD: 2 / Receiving Yards: 46 / AVG: 15.3 / TD: 0
Richardson was one of the most sought after prospects in the country coming out of high school a couple years ago and proved to be worth the hype with a strong freshman campaign.
Now he looks ready to take the next step in his development with a breakout sophomore season.
He played sparingly against San Jose State in week one, but still managed over 100 total yards and a couple scores off just 13 touches. Look for him to build off that against Penn State this weekend.
5. Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 75 / ATT: 18 / AVG: 4.2 / TD: 1 / Receiving Yards: 0 / AVG: 0 / TD: 0
Rodgers is the only two-time First-Team All-Pac-10 player returning this season and brings about as much to the table as any offensive player in the country.
There's a good chance he put a big damper in his Heisman campaign with his performance against TCU in week one though.
Rodgers was held to 75 yards on 18 carries as the Horned Frogs focused their attention on shutting him down in the 30-21 victory.
4. Noel Devine, West Virginia
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 111 / ATT: 23 / AVG: 4.8 / TD: 1 / Receiving Yards: 18 / AVG: 9.0 / TD: 0
Devine has drawn comparisons to the likes of Barry Sanders, a feat not often accomplished. The Mountaineers' offensive lives and dies by his hand and that'll only increase in his senior year.
He looked solid in a week one shutout of Coastal Carolina and there's no reason to think he won't keep it up throughout the year.
Devine rushed for 111 yards and a score off 23 carries and while he played better than both Ryan Williams and Dion Lewis, who both lost, there's no comparing the level of competition.
3. Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 44 / ATT: 21 / AVG: 2.1 / TD: 2 / Receiving Yards: 18 / AVG: 9.0 / TD: 1
Williams exploded onto the stage as a freshman last season to become one of the top running backs in the country with a record-setting year.
There's no doubt he's right up there with the best of them in 2010, but his stock took a huge hit agaisnt Boise State on Monday.
In the Hokies 33-30 loss, Williams was held to 44 yards on 21 attempts. He did manage three scores, but still, those totals were not at all what you would have expected.
2. Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh
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2010 Stats: Rushing Yards: 75 / ATT: 25 / AVG: 3.0 / TD: 1 / Receiving Yards: 9 / AVG: 9.0 / TD: 0
Lewis might be as important to his team as any player in the country. The Panthers rely on him so much and really don't have anyone who can fill the void that would be created without him.
Some might argue that he doesn't deserve to be in the top spot after his lackluster performance in Pitt's week one loss to Utah.
Lewis carried the ball 25 times for just 75 yards, but he's been good enough in the past to give him the benefit of the doubt after just one game.
1. Mark Ingram, Alabama
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2010 Stats: NA
The reigning Heisman trophy winner, Ingram is one of the best players in the country and a force to be reckoned with at running back.
There's a good reason he won the Heisman a year ago and there's no reason at all to think he won't be a serious part of the discussion again this season.
He's out with a knee injury right now and it's too soon to tell when he'll be back in action, but that's no reason to bump him out of the top spot he earned with last year's performance.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
